Arresters that are used in areas where there is a risk of overloading are equipped with a short-circuiting mechanism, also called a “fail-short,” which prevents overheating and hence the risk of fire by virtue of the fact that the arrester is electrically short-circuited.
Upon the response of the short-circuiting mechanism of the arrester in a circuit, a spring contact may be provided on the circuit board having the circuit in order to perform a switching operation at a different location in the circuit. Said spring contact is connected to the arrester under spring tension and is released in the event of overtemperature, with the result that said spring contact is able to make contact when it returns to its rest position.